BJP condemns Omar Abdullah for 'sympathetic chord' towards Afzal Guru

Omar Abdullah had voiced displeasure at the execution and said it would reinforce a sense of alienation and injustice among generation of youth in the Valley.

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NEW DELHI: BJP on Monday charged Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah with "provoking" the situation in Kashmir Valley and condemned his interview for having a "sympathetic chord" for Afzal Guru who was hanged last week for his role in the Parliament attack case.

Talking to reporters, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the Congress should clear its stand on the interview given by Abdullah as the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was "part and parcel" of the UPA.

"We deeply condemn his interview because it has a sympathetic chord for the terrorist who attacked Indian Parliament, the idea of India and condemned to death eight years ago.

"So, to raise the issue of discrimination or some other references, actually is nothing but provoking the situation in the Valley. At least the chief Mminister of Jammu and Kashmir should not do this," he said.

The BJP spokesperson was addressing the media after senior party leaders including L K Advani, former party president Nitin Gadkari and others paid homage to its former chief Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his 45th death anniversary.

Javadekar said such statements from a chief minister were "totally unacceptable" when the country was feeling "national sense of relief" after Guru was executed.

"We condemn his statement and we want to ask Congress whether they agree with what Omar Abdullah has said because they are part of parcel of UPA and they are supporting it. So, Congress owes responsibility to respond to what Omar Abdullah is saying," he said.

Yesterday, Abdullah had voiced displeasure at the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and said it would reinforce a sense of alienation and injustice among generation of youth in the Valley.